Chapter 49: The Most Desired Fruit is the Ope-Ope No Mi

After five days of sailing at sea, we finally approached the island where the remnants of the Kingdom of Vilas were stationed.

Asa abandoned the pirate ship he had previously commandeered and boarded Pross's vessel, traveling with him the rest of the way.

On the sea, where the breeze gently blew, the ship moved swiftly, aided by the wind, cutting through the waves with ease.

Asa stood at the bow, his gaze deep and contemplative. His tall, straight figure remained unwavering in the wind, his long black hair flowing freely, and his blue cloak billowing behind him.

Though he appeared focused on the sea, his mind was multitasking, constantly engaged in controlling electromagnetic forces.

Some say that the development of Devil Fruits has no limits. Asa hadn't believed this before, but now, he was beginning to think otherwise.

The abilities of the Thunder Fruit had evolved in the direction he envisioned, but at some point, they had surpassed their original scope, growing more formidable in an unpredictable way. Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained uncertain.

The salty sea breeze brushed against his face, dissipating his frown. He sighed, feeling that he might have been too ambitious.

Given enough time, he could eventually test all of his ideas.

"How far are we from the location where the remnants of the Kingdom of Vilas are stationed?" Asa asked calmly. His Observation Haki had not detected any islands within range.

"Lord Asa, according to the route on the navigation chart, we should arrive in about two hours," Pross responded respectfully, lowering his head.

He had shaved off his beard and no longer resembled the unkempt pirate he once was.

"Two hours?" Asa nodded slightly.

He had already acquired the route the Kingdom of Flowers used to transport the Heavenly Tribute from Pross. If all went according to plan, the Menmen Fruit would undoubtedly be among the vast treasures presented this time.

Asa planned to travel further into the Grand Line, gather enough powerful Devil Fruits, and distribute them to his most loyal subordinates. This would ensure that his pirate crew possessed well-rounded abilities.

The Ope Ope no Mi wouldn't be available for more than a decade, so it could be set aside for now. Perhaps, when the time was right, he could send men to the North Blue to search for it.

More importantly, Asa was determined to acquire the Lucky-Lucky Fruit.

However, this fruit was even more elusive than the Ope Ope no Mi. It had surfaced two years after Luffy set sail, in the year 1522 of the Sea Calendar, within the New World's largest maritime entertainment city—Gran Tesoro.

The ruler of Gran Tesoro, the "Golden Emperor" Gild Tesoro, had a beautiful woman named Baccarat by his side—the wielder of the Lucky-Lucky Fruit.

Luck was intangible yet undeniable. If someone could attract enough of it, would their wishes always come true?

A truly terrifying thought.

However, when exactly Baccarat joined Tesoro remained unclear. The only time frame Asa could reference was when Tesoro was released from Mary Geoise.

If he had the chance in the future—perhaps in the year 1507, when Fisher Tiger scaled the Red Line to free the slaves—Asa would take part in the event and see if Baccarat had escaped from Mary Geoise by then.

For now, there were only a few specific Devil Fruits he desired, and fortunately, he had leads on most of them.

The Shiro Shiro no Mi (Castle-Castle Fruit), which functioned as a mobile fortress and storage unit, was already in his possession. As for the countless other Devil Fruits, he had little interest in them unless they proved exceptionally powerful.

"Pross, why didn't you lead the remnants of the Kingdom of Vilas instead of becoming a pirate?" Asa asked, genuinely puzzled.

Becoming a pirate just to spite the Kingdom of Flowers seemed foolish. Pross was, after all, the rightful heir of Vilas. Why choose such an unstable path?

"Lord Asa..." Pross looked embarrassed. "It's not that I didn't want to lead them, but after the war, they were exhausted. They just wanted to live in peace…"

"I see." Asa understood their feelings but didn't agree with their actions.

People must understand that leaving the roots of a problem untouched only invites future troubles. Did these remnants truly believe the Kingdom of Flowers would let them live in peace? How laughable.

If they were discovered, the Kingdom of Flowers would immediately send troops to eliminate them.

Had Pross not invited Asa, the Kingdom of Vilas would have been completely wiped out.

"As soon as I help him settle this war, I'll go after the Heavenly Tribute, and then find a way to sneak into the Naval Headquarters Science Division to meet Vegapunk," Asa thought.

He meticulously planned each step ahead of time—a habit he had developed over the years to prevent confusion and stay focused on his goals.

Meeting Vegapunk had been on his mind for some time. After all, Vegapunk was the only person capable of enabling inanimate objects to consume Devil Fruits.

Asa had long desired the ultimate storage bracelet for a time traveler. Now that he possessed the Shiro Shiro no Mi, he was merely waiting for the opportunity to put his plan into action.

"If the World Government didn't have such immense wealth and resources, gathering Devil Fruits from across the world for research, I would attempt it myself. But why take such unnecessary risks?" Asa sighed.

For some reason, he still felt a faint thrill of excitement. Perhaps the warrior or adventurer within him was drawn to the danger, urging him closer to the most perilous places.

"Increase our speed. I can't wait any longer," Asa said, his blue cloak fluttering as he turned toward Pross.

"Yes, Lord Asa!" Pross responded with renewed determination.

By now, the Kingdom of Flowers' army could have already arrived at the remnants' stronghold. There was no time to waste.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of New Vilas

At the newly built port along the island's edge, the land was densely packed with most of the nation's population.

Word had spread that the long-lost prince, Pross, had returned with the legendary "Lightning Controller"—Hippoly D. Asa—to help them resist the invading army from the Kingdom of Flowers.

Though the people longed for peace, they still desired vengeance for their fallen countrymen.

"The Lightning Controller will arrive soon. Please do not disturb him."

"I heard he's a monster who once sank an entire island. Is that true?"

The port was abuzz with speculation. While they welcomed Asa's arrival, many still found it difficult to believe that one man could destroy an island.

Meanwhile, Morata Diton, commander of the Vilas remnants, stood with his soldiers, waiting anxiously.

"Sir, Prince Pross managed to recruit a Lightning Controller. The Kingdom of Flowers' army should pose no threat now," a staff officer whispered.

"Hmm…"

Morata Diton nodded absentmindedly.

Suddenly, someone shouted:

"They're coming!"

Eagle-eyed watchers spotted a ship approaching rapidly from the distant sea, swiftly docking at the port.

Standing at the front of the ship was a young man with an indifferent expression, clad in a white shirt with a blue coat draped over his shoulders.

(End Of Chapter)

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